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ACE-CPT vs NCSF-CPT
ACE Certified Personal Trainer from American Council on Exercise and NCSF Certified Personal Trainer from National Council on Strength & Fitness, side by side: accreditation, eligibility, exam, cost and renewal, each fact from its cited source.
Key differences
- ACE-CPT requires current CPR/AED certification to enroll; NCSF-CPT does not.
- ACE-CPT requires 2 continuing-education units per cycle versus 10 for NCSF-CPT — note the providers use different CEU unit systems, so these figures are not directly comparable.
- The renewal fee differs: $129 for ACE-CPT versus $85 for NCSF-CPT.
Differences are stated only where both credentials have a known value on record — never inferred against an unknown. No winner is declared; which credential fits depends on your goals. Methodology
Credential type
certification
certification
Verification
verified
verified
Accreditation
accreditedNCCA(directory-confirmed)
accreditedNCCA(directory-confirmed)
Accredited through
2029-03-31
2030-03-31
Target professional
Personal trainers
Personal trainers
Minimum age
18
18
Education requirement
Have completed high school diploma (or the equivalent)
Must possess a high school diploma or equivalent
Degree required
no
no
Experience requirement
unknown
None required; "Although not required, it is beneficial if you have a minimum level of practical experience working in the health and fitness field."
CPR/AED to enroll
yes
no
Other prerequisites
Hold a current adult CPR/AED certificate with hands-on (in-person or virtual) live skills check (CPR/AED courses without skills check not accepted; AED only required in USA and Canada); present a current government-issued photo ID with signature (driver's license, passport, military ID); pay the exam/proctoring fee (not included in study program price).
No NCSF educational program required to sit for the Board Examination; candidates may prepare with materials from other organizations, colleges or universities. Government-issued photo ID required at testing.
Exam format
In-person proctored exam or online exam with a Live Remote Proctor (proctored through Meazure Learning/ProctorU); 150 multiple-choice questions
Computer-based multiple choice, proctored at Prometric testing centers or online via Prometric ProProctor remote testing
Question count
150
150
Time limit
180 minutes
180 minutes
Passing score
Score of 500 or greater (out of 800)
Scaled score of 70 or greater (scale 0-100)
Retake policy
Retake available; ACE recommends allowing about one week of review for every 10 points below the passing score of 500 before rescheduling. After registering for a Live Remote Proctored exam, candidates have 60 days to complete it.
May re-apply after failing; $99 retake fee; must wait 30 days between attempts; retake fee rate available for six months after first exam, after which first-time candidate fee applies; no limit on number of attempts.
Exam / application fees
unknown
$349 exam fee
Renewal required
yes
yes
Renewal cycle
2 years
2 years
CEUs per cycle
2
10
CEU unit system
ACE CEC (0.1 CEC = 1 hour of structured learning; 2.0 CECs = 20 hours per 2-year cycle)
NCSF CEU (1 CEU = 2 hours of educational learning; 1 contact hour = 0.5 NCSF CEUs)
Renewal fees
$129 standard
$85 standard
Ethics requirement
yes
yes
CPR/AED at renewal
yes
yes
Renewal deadline rule
Credential valid 2 years; CECs must be completed between the start and end dates of the renewal cycle shown in My ACE, then submit renewal and pay fee before expiration. Late renewal permitted up to 6 months past expiration at higher fees; beyond 6 months requires contacting ACE support. Expired certifications without completed CECs require retaking the exam.
Two-year certification period begins the day you pass the NCSF exam and ends on the last day of the month in which the certification began, 2 years later. All 10 CEUs must be earned during the most recent two-year period of active status; applications postmarked after the expiration date are not accepted.
Reinstatement
unknown
unknown
Credential status
active
active
Last verified
2026-09-03
2026-09-03
CEU recognition
ACE-Approved Continuing Education Providers (ACE pre-approved course directory) (approved ceu provider) · Non-ACE-approved course providers (petition accepted) · Accredited colleges/universities (petition accepted)
Any reputable CPR certification organization (accepts ceus from) · External education providers (seminars, workshops, conferences, home study, college/university courses, employer-based training) (accepts ceus from) · NCSF (verification for unlisted subject categories) (petition accepted)
Categories
Personal Training
Personal Training
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Full records: ACE Certified Personal Trainer · NCSF Certified Personal Trainer
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